Mesoamerica

Question 1

Mesoamerica accounted for what countries?

Answer 1

Southern Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica

Question 2

domestication in mesoamerica was based on what?

Answer 2

plants

Question 3

the 3 sisters are what?

Answer 3

corn, beans and squash

Question 4

corn does what to the soil it grows in?

Answer 4

takes nitrogen out

Question 5

beans do what to the soil they grow in?

Answer 5

cycle nitrogen back into it

Question 6

squash grow where?

Answer 6

along the bottom of corn plants

Question 7

the earliest domesticated plant in mesoamerica is what?

Answer 7

squash- 8000-6300BC

Question 8

where was squash domesticated?

Answer 8

Oaxaca Mexico

Question 9

what plant was likely domesticated at the same time as corn?

Answer 9

beans- around 8000BC

Question 10

what amino acid do beans provide that isn’t found in corn?

Answer 10

lysine

Question 11

where were bean domesticated?

Answer 11

in mesoamerica and the andes

Question 12

maize descended from what plant?

Answer 12

teosinte

Question 13

what type of plant is teosinte?

Answer 13

a grass

Question 14

what time is teosinte dated back to?

Answer 14

7000BC

Question 15

where and when were the earliest maize cobs found?

Answer 15

in Guila Naquitz Cave, Mexico- 4200BC

Question 16

with the domestication of maize, what qualities did it gain or lose from teosinte?

Answer 16

-husks shrunk and became enclosures for the ears of corn
-became less grass like
-not as easy to harvest as teosinte

Question 17

what are some qualities of the teosinte plant?

Answer 17

brittle rachis, thickly enclosed seeds that are hard to digest, they’re found in middens

Question 18

why are dogs significant when talking about domestication?

Answer 18

they are the only animal domesticated in both the old world & the americas

Question 19

when did turkeys become domesticated?

Answer 19

275AD; they spread from S. America in 300BC

Question 20

when was chocolate domesticated?

Answer 20

at least 2000BC

Question 21

how was chocolate first consumed?

Answer 21

in liquid form

Question 22

were there any beasts of burden in mesoamerica?

Answer 22

no

Question 23

what plants and animals were domesticated in the Andes?

Answer 23

beans, quinoa, potatoes, cotton, corn, llamas, alpacas and guinea pigs

Question 24

what is a sure fire way of telling a plant which is domesticated from a wild plant?

Answer 24

it has a thinner seed coat than a wild plant

Question 25

what 4 plants/crops were domesticated around the same time in the Andes?

Answer 25

beans, quinoa, potatoes and cotton

Question 26

when was corn domesticated in the andes?

Answer 26

6000-4800BC

Question 27

where in south america were beans and quinoa domesticated?

Answer 27

-BEANS- Guitarrero cave, Peru -QUINOA- Panaulauca cave, Peru

Question 28

what crop was not indigenous to the Andes?

Answer 28

corn; it was brought to mesoamerica

Question 29

what evidence was found to prove the domestication of potatoes?

Answer 29

phytoliths & tubers

Question 30

a plant with a large tuber is more likely to what?

Answer 30

be domesticated

Question 31

which were used for transport: Llamas or Alpacas?

Answer 31

Llamas; they were also raised for meat

Question 32

Alpacas were used for?

Answer 32

wool and meat

Question 33

why is there no evidence of the domestication of alpacas & Llamas?

Answer 33

they were likely domesticated by mobile hunter gatherers who left no evidence behind at sites

Question 34

domestication in the American SW took place during what time period?

Answer 34

the late Archaic in New Mexico & SW Americas- 2100BC

Question 35

domestication in SW America was a movement of what?

Answer 35

Ideas, not people

Question 36

how did the people of the SW change with the introduction of maize & squash?

Answer 36

some became more sedentary

Question 37

how did maize & squash move around the americas?

Answer 37

through trade

Question 38

Terraces were formed to aid in agriculture in low return areas like?

Answer 38

Cerro Juanaquena, Mexico

Question 39

when did agriculture become prominent in Mexico?

Answer 39

after 1500BC

Question 40

define optimal foraging theory

Answer 40

assumes human act on the basis of self interest to maximize efficiency in collecting/processing resources

Question 41

optimal foraging theory explained what about the distribution and uptake of maize agriculture?

Answer 41

people made decisions to grow or not to grow maize based on their landscape productivity and returns

Question 42

what is an example of the optimal foraging theory applied to the domestication of the SW Americas?

Answer 42

Rio Casas Grande Region had high return rate VS. Jornada Region which had a low return rate do to heavy rainfall and prioritization of other crops.

Question 43

Basketmaker III overlaps with the introduction of what plant?

Answer 43

beans

Question 44

what style of housing was common during the BMIII?

Answer 44

pit houses; as little as 1-2 were found with as many as 25-35 per site also being found--a village could have upwards of 60 houses

Question 45

what are the 4 cultures found during the domesticated of the American SW?

Answer 45

pueblo, chaco, hohokam, mongollon

Question 46

ancestral peublo period was during what time?

Answer 46

750-900AD around the 4 corners

Question 47

the 4 corners were considered where what 4 states met?

Answer 47

utah, arizona, New Mexico and colorado

Question 48

round pithouses used for ceremonial associations were called what?

Answer 48

kivas

Question 49

pueblos are what style of house?

Answer 49

contiguous

Question 50

when did pueblos become the norm in terms of dwelling style?

Answer 50

after 900AD

Question 51

what type of agriculture did the Pueblo period exhibit?

Answer 51

organized agriculture through irrigation (using floodwater and dams)

Question 52

what style of pottery did the Pueblo period have?

Answer 52

black on white

Question 53

social stratification was first seen where?

Answer 53

McPhee village, 2 large u shaped masonry rooms were found proving the existence of large surpluses

Question 54

large surpluses meant what for a civilization?

Answer 54

there would be redistribution of resources, they would feast, have ceremonies and it would help maintain social status

Question 55

Chaco canyon is famous for what?

Answer 55

a massive road system leading to outliers

Question 56

what time period was chaco culture?

Answer 56

900-1220AD

Question 57

houses used for ritual activity were called what?

Answer 57

great houses

Question 58

Pueblo Benito is?

Answer 58

a d-shaped 600 room structure surrounding courts, which contain kivas

Question 59

how many people could Pueblo Benito hold?

Answer 59

at least 1000

Question 60

Hohokam culture is during what time?

Answer 60

500-1450AD in Arizona

Question 61

what is Hohokam culture known for?

Answer 61

-complex trading -gathering -irrigation -single dwelling houses dug in the ground -planted corn, beans, squash and cotton

Question 62

Mongollon culture occurred when?

Answer 62

300-1000BC

Question 63

what is Mongollon culture known for?

Answer 63

-small villages of pit houses -digging sticks, bows and arrows -baskets -red on brown pottery -agriculture was dependent on rain

Question 64

domestication of eastern N. America initially took place when?

Answer 64

during the early archaic period- 3000BC

Question 65

what type of domestication occurred in N. America?

Answer 65

indigenous

Question 66

what was domesticated in N. America?

Answer 66

squash, sunflower, marsh elder, lambs quarter and pigweed

Question 67

what happened during the domestication of N. America to the diet of people?

Answer 67

their subsistence was narrowed, especially regarding shellfish

Question 68

squash, sunflower, marsh elder, lambs quarter and pigweed were domesticated where?

Answer 68

N. America

Question 69

Poverty Point is known for what?

Answer 69

6 concentric (circular) embankments (0.65km radius) which showed the presence of a large labour force

Question 70

Poverty point was built when?

Answer 70

during the late archaic period- 1750BC

Question 71

people who lived at poverty point didn't rely on what?

Answer 71

domesticates; they were great foragers and had access to great land & wild animals. they also traded with other societies

Question 72

Mound A at Poverty Point is how big & looks like what?

Answer 72

21m high; looks like a bird

Question 73

the woodland period consisted of what two cultures?

Answer 73

-Adena (early) -Hopewell (middle)

Question 74

the woodland period took place when?

Answer 74

1000BC-400AD in Ohio River Valley

Question 75

the woodland period was known for what?

Answer 75

mound building-circle, square, octogon, serpent

Question 76

what are trademarks of the woodland period?

Answer 76

-beginning of agriculture intensification -first minor appearance of maize -small, dispersed settlements -elaborate burials -extensive trade -had enough of a surplus that people could develop crafts/skills

Question 77

the Ohio Hopewell Interaction Sphere is what?

Answer 77

a trade network in eastern N. America during the mid woodland period; groups shared many aspects of culture

Question 78

domestication in E. North America really took place when?

Answer 78

400AD- beginning of late woodland

Question 79

what are some trademarks of the domestication in North America?

Answer 79

-intensive maize culture -large villages -maize wasn't yet a staple of people's diet yet

Question 80

what test was done to determine how prevalent maize was in North America around the time of domestication?

Answer 80

isotope analysis

Question 81

Mississippian culture took place when?

Answer 81

1050AD

Question 82

what are some trademarks of Mississippian culture?

Answer 82

**Chief-dom society -prestige goods trade -adoption of maize -small villages surrounding large admin centers -no writing

Question 83

what is a famous site associated with Mississippian culture?

Answer 83

Cahokia- 1050AD- Illinois

Question 84

what about Cahokia was significant?

Answer 84

-largest admin center-100 mounds -largest pyramid north of Mexico -largest population in N. America before the 19th century

Question 85

sub mound 51 at Cahokia is what shape?

Answer 85

oval

Question 86

mound 72 at Cahokia looks like what?

Answer 86

mound with a ridge on top

Question 87

the population of Cahokia was the largest before the turn of the 19th century, what did that mean for the people in terms of structure?

Answer 87

they likely had elite members who controlled surpluses, feasting and establishing social status